Opposition solons: Let voters dictate term limits of elected execs
Opposition Congressmen Edcel Lagman and Gary Alejano. INQUIRER file photo / JAM STA. ROSA
Even opposition lawmakers at the House of Representatives are in favor of the plan to lift the term limits for Congress members.
Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano believe that educated voters should be empowered to dictate the term limits of public officials.
“The ultimate arbiter of term limits and incumbency is the electorate,” Lagman said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“You have to empower the electorate and the voters should be the one to impose term limits,” Lagman added.
Alejano backed this, noting how the imposition of term limits has resulted to lack of institutional memory in the legislature.
“Walang institutional memory dahil after so many years, tapos na agad ‘yung term… ‘di katulad sa ibang bansa merong 20 years, 30 years in a certain committee…” Alejano explained.
“We need to educate our people to raise the maturity of the [electorate],” he added.
The issue came after the House committee on constitutional amendments has approved and referred to the plenary a draft Constitution that provides for a presidential-bicameral-federal system of government.
Among the key changes introduced under the draft was the lack of term limits for all elected positions except for the President and Vice President.
Leyte 3rd District Rep. Vicente “Ching” Veloso, the chair of the committee, branded this as a “wise concept.”
“I am now 72 years old. I am a product of the 1935 Constitution, wala tayong term limits do’n kaya lumabas ang magagaling na senador… Itong (political) dynasty, anak lang ‘yan ng term limits,” he said.
“What was wise to the framers of the 1935 Constitution, to us, is still a wise concept na walang term limits,” he added.
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Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said Veloso should provide concrete facts to support his claim that the imposition of term limits in the 1987 Constitution has resulted in the rise of political dynasties.
Villarin also said political reforms should be established to strengthen political institutions and political parties.
Other House lawmakers also supported the lifting of term limits for Congress members.
READ: Suarez supports lifting of term limits for members of Congress
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo meanwhile said that this proposal is still subject to the approval of the plenary. She also denied introducing the provision. /jpv
READ: Arroyo: Term limits for lawmakers under federal gov’t a ‘collegial decision’
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